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Topic: Dividing the Lamb (Read 1618 times)

Hopefully a few priests/deacons and/or liturgical experts float around here who can answer these questions? In large parishes, often 2 or 3 chalices are used for Holy Communion. It is my understanding that only 1 Lamb is consecrated, and then divided among the chalices. My question: how is the Lamb and the consecrated Blood divided among the chalices? I know the priests partake of one portion (I assume they break it and divide it among themselves if there is more than one priest); how is the remainder of the Lamb divided up and distributed? What happens to the other portions (the piece for the Theotokos, the 9 ranks of the angels, and the pieces used to commemorate the living and departed)? As far as the wine is concerned, is it considered sanctified once the Body of Christ is placed in it (I would assume so), or would the priest consecrated the wine in one chalice, and then add a bit of it to the other chalices? Any insight would be appreciated.

It's divided into four portions (the fraction). One of them is placed in the chalice as it is (the commingling), and two of them are divided by the priest into small particles.

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What happens to the other portions (the piece for the Theotokos, the 9 ranks of the angels, and the pieces used to commemorate the living and departed)?

They are not consecrated, but are still ordinary bread, and are added to the chalice after the communion of the people has taken place.

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As far as the wine is concerned, is it considered sanctified once the Body of Christ is placed in it (I would assume so), or would the priest consecrated the wine in one chalice, and then add a bit of it to the other chalices?

The wine is consecrated in one chalice, and then added to the others at the fraction.

According to the Russian tradition, wine is not consecrated merely by having the Body placed in it; hence, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified, the wine in the chalice is ordinary wine and not Blood.

They are not consecrated, but are still ordinary bread, and are added to the chalice after the communion of the people has taken place.

Actually in Greek usage they are sometimes added befire the communion but placed in such a way that they are no intermingled with the body. I had chance to serve at a parish this last weekend that uses some Greek practices and was shown how this was done.

These pieces are then consumed by the deacon (if one is present) or by the priest (if there is no deacon) along with the Holy Blood after the Divine Liturgy.

For the Russian and Greek Traditions, the wine added to the Presanctified is not the Blood but simply wine.. This is because the Lamb has been dipped into the Blood at the preceding Liturgy on the Sunday. When the priest communes he receive the Body and Blood in the Lamb at the Presanctified.